Investments in and Advances To Joint Ventures (Details 1)			12 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011 Coventry two joint ventures zero basis [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 DDR MDT PS LLC [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Real Estate Investments Unconsolidated Real Estate And Other Joint Ventures [Member] Coventry two joint ventures zero basis [Member] Maximum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Real Estate Investments Unconsolidated Real Estate And Other Joint Ventures [Member] Coventry two joint ventures zero basis [Member] Minimum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Real Estate Investments Unconsolidated Real Estate And Other Joint Ventures [Member] DDR MDT PS LLC [Member]
Adjustments to Company's share of joint venture net loss
Effective Ownership Percentage	5.00%	50.00%			20.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Equity Method Investment, Asset Owned			41 retail sites/centers in several states	Seven shopping centers in several states

The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 159

-Paragraph 18

-Subparagraph f

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)

-Number 18

-Paragraph 20

-Subparagraph a (1)

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 323

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6382943&loc=d3e33918-111571

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